The number of fatal stabbings in England and Wales last year was the highest since records began in 1946, while the overall homicide rate rose to the highest level in a decade, official figures show.

Figures recorded by police and the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) showed that deaths resulting from stabbings in the two British territories had hit a 70-year high, presstv.ir reported.

The figures released on Thursday showed some 285 killings had been carried out with a knife or sharp instrument between March 2017 and 2018, the highest since official data collecting began by the Home Office (interior ministry) in 1946.

Officials also confirmed that the homicide rate in England and Wales had also hit a decade-long high last year with a 15 percent increase compared to 2017.

The total number of homicides in the two territories, excluding terrorist attacks, in the year ending 2018 was 695, also a fourth consecutive annual rise following a long-term decline.

The CSEW also showed that police had failed to respond to more than half of the violent incidents that occurred last year.

That comes as many blame government austerity programs and their impact on police recruitment as the main reason for the surge in violent crime in the UK.

Police officials have repeatedly said that if they had more resources and staff, many deaths could have been prevented over the past years.

A senior lawmaker of the British parliament reacted to the CSEW report, saying it was time for the government to admit its failure in containing violence that was causing young people to die “in the greatest numbers.”

“The Government cannot keep acting like police numbers have no role to play in tackling this,” said Sarah Jones, MP for Croydon Central and chair of the all-party parliamentary group on knife crime.